Ever since the beginning of rapid solidification technology became into being and began to be used, there have been several major problems which have prevented full industrial acceptance of the process. Apparatus has not been available which produces the products as they have been envisioned in the laboratory and in theory.
Primarily, the prior art methods and apparatus produce a microstructure which is not at all uniform. Grain size and dimensions are far too large at at the present time. At its simplest, the problem is stated as the lack of know how to produce near net shape product.
In prior art methods and apparatus, the atomization process produces droplets of varying size on any given substrate. In present systems, as deposition takes place, the length of the droplet trajectory becomes varied. Consequently, the thermal history of the deposit will not be the same throughout the specimen.
One important feature of the process of atomizing alloys is that it is necessary to control the flow parameters such as velocity and configuration of flow lines in order to cause collisions of higher intensity and thereby produce finer particles. To date, that has not been effective.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to produce new apparatus for producing ultra fine to amorphous alloys with uniform microstructures.
Another object of this invention is to provide apparatus for producing near net shape, rapidly solidified alloys in bulk quantity.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for such a product in which subsequent annealing and changing the microstructures of the specimen when desired becomes feasible.
Other objects will appear hereinafter.